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Abstract/Description

African animal trypanosomosis is a parasitic disease that afflicts livestock across much of sub-Saharan Africa. The disease, primarily transmitted by the tsetse fly (Glossina spp.), causes morbidity and mortality in several species of livestock. It is particularly important in southern Burkina Faso where at least 2 million cattle are affected. Between 1987 and 1996 a successful tsetse fly control programme was implemented in the Mouhoun Valley of southern Burkina Faso. The intervention consisted of monthly treatments of cattle with pour-on formulation of flumethrin and deployment of monoconical traps. A socio-economic study was undertaken in 1996-97 to determine how tsetse control has affected migration of people, livestock productivity, cropping practices, use of animal traction, and access to pastures and water. Tsetse control also had effects on farmer herder conflicts over access to pastures lands and nearby forestry reserves. Survey results indicate that tsetse control did not attract new migrants to the Valley. Their decision to settle appears to have been driven by such factors as drought and poverty that pushed people out of the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso. Tsetse control improved animal health and productivity, especially through reductions in cattle mortality. Cattle ownership increased by 26% and 9%, in Satiri and Bekuy Division, respectively. Proportions of owners who experienced cattle losses due to trypanosomosis decreased from 59% to 15% in Satiri, and from 58% to 47% in Bekuy. Animal traction users increased from 64% to 93% between 1987 and 1996. More than 60% of households had easy access to grazing areas over the same period, although this benefited more often pastoralists (76%) than crop-livestock farmers (53%). An econometric analysis of the determinants of the probability of conflicts following tsetse control revealed herd size, intensity of animal traction use, ethnicity, village location and wealth as significant factors. These results are essential for policy recommendations to improve natural resource management in tsetse controlled areas in southern Burkina Faso.